Thursday, March 13, 2008

WOW! I can't believe how much time has gone by. I am not sure where to start. We are all finally over our colds. It's really hard to get better when everyone at all the schools, (elementary, middle and high) are sick and our weather has been crazy. One day hot and one day freezing!!

Last weekend I took Friday off from work and went to a state competition for my daughter's JROTC Exhibition Show Team State Competition. We go to Lakeland for the night and then the next day drive to Tampa for the competition. These are kids who spin 12 pound rifles and are really good. They also have duel, squad (5 people), platoons (16 people) and individual competitors. These kids are 9-12 graders and work really hard. I love going with them. It was the second year I went and its a blast. Having been through the program myself in high school I love seeing how much the program has grown not only in my local county and school district but also statewide.

We had to get up early on Friday (4:30am) and be at school to help out the instructor who is a retired Command Sergeant Major from the Army. He is a great guy and the kids love him. The main instructor a Lt. Col. was going this year as one of the judges and we briefly saw him on Saturday on the field. We loaded up the buses (charter buses) and headed toward Lakeland. We stopped for lunch and got to the hotel by 3pm. We checked in and got in some practice time before going to a local mall for dinner and some free time for the kids. After dinner at the mall (and some shopping!!) we normally go back to the hotel and the kids go swimming for a few hours before lights out. Friday night brought strong winds and heavy rain to Lakeland Florida. It was really blowing out there so the kids stayed inside. Some kids stayed in the lobby playing games or just visiting with each other and the rest were in their rooms getting their boots and uniforms ready for Saturday. At 10pm it was lights out and then the chaperones went to work walking the hallway of the hotel so we could keep the kids quiet for the other guests. Finally we went to bed around 11:30pm. We had to get up at 4:30am again to get the kids up and make sure they were dressed and packed and downstairs to eat. We had to be back on the buses to drive to Tampa for the competition.

It was a freezing day with temps in the 40's and 50's. We were all freezing and the kids had some jackets to go with the uniforms. I got stung by a wasp while I was watching one of our groups perform and had to be really quiet and that was really hard to do. The other mom with me was a nurse and asked if I was allergic and I had no idea because I had never been bitten before. My wrist hurt and the stung area was red but nothing else happened. I still have a little red mark from the sting but it doesn't hurt.

The competition ended around 6pm and then it was time to board the buses. We are not sure how we placed in all the events but the commander of the exhibition platoon (a female junior cadet) one 3rd in the state of Florida in the individual exhibition competition. We are so proud of her. We all were crying in the stands....it was a great way to end the weekend. We got home around 11:30pm on Saturday night and we were tired. I listened to music from my iPod on the bus as I didn't care for the movie they were watching on the bus. I also fell asleep as did most of the kids. We had a blast as usual.

I love being with these kids. I know I am getting older but being with these kids keeps my heart and mind young. They are our future and it's good to know that we are raising good kids who care and know there is more to life then their own small world.

The week at work was crazy. We are getting our students ready to take a state comprehension test in two weeks. Right now the 3rd to 12th graders are taking the FCAT or the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test. The kindergarten thru 2nd graders take the Standford 10 test in Florida too and its pretty much the same thing but at a lower level and there is no essay to write for the little ones. It's mostly a math and reading test.

Tomorrow night I am going with the middle school band to the Florida Bandmasters Association. They compete there for ratings as to how they play. Its a big event for the middle school and high school bands.

On Saturday my school formed a team and we are walking in the Breast Cancer walk here in town. It's pretty cool because there are lots of teams and my younger daughter is walking with her friends from the middle school and my older daughter and I are walking with teachers and staff from my elementary school. I am looking forward to it. We each are walking for the women in our family who have or had breast cancer. My mom, my great aunt, my best friend and my matron of honor from my wedding. I also donated two quilts for their raffle and they were really happy to get them. I hope to be able to give them more as time allows me to finish my own quilts.

Sunday I am going to be working the concession stand at the ball game with the JROTC kids again. They do this to raise money. We did really well last year and the kids make the food and run the cash registers. The adults pull the beer as the kids can't touch it because they are under 18. We have a blast doing this. My daughter goes and I do too. She is doing one this Friday during school but I have to work so I can only help out at night or on the weekends.

So when I am not here posting to my blog you can bet I am busy doing something. After I got home from school today I started dinner. Put in a load of wash. Quilted a lap quilt on my machine upstairs and took a shower and graded about 3 sets of tests. I posted here and now I am going to have a snack and then get back to the sewing machine. I promise to write more often. Have a great rest of the week!!